Consumer

ARTICLES ABOUT CONSUMER BY DATE - PAGE 3

SAO PAULO: Brazilian consumer confidence fell to an all-time low in July as rising unemployment , higher interest rates and accelerating prices ate into families' budgets, a private survey showed on Friday. The Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV) said its confidence index fell to 82.0 in July, the lowest since the data series began in September 2005, from 83.9 in June. "The index hit a new record low for the fourth time this year," FGV economist Viviane Seda Bittencourt said in a statement.

NEW DELHI: Country's consumer electronics and appliances market is projected to be worth $20.6 billion by 2020 on account of factors such as high disposable income, easy consumer financing and organised retail, says a report. India is also expected to rank fifth in the consumer durables market in the world by 2025, says a joint report by Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA) and consultancy firm EY . "The Indian market for consumer electronics and appliances is around $9.7 billion and has grown at a CAGR of 9.7 per cent over the 2010-2014 period and is poised to reach $20.6 billion by 2020," it said.

BRUSSELS: Euro zone consumer confidence fell by more than expected in July, figures released on Thursday showed. The European Commission said a flash estimate showed the euro zone consumer morale indicator was -7.1 points from -5.6 in June. The market expectation was for a slight decline to -5.7 points in July, according to a Reuters poll. In the European Union as a whole, consumer sentiment fell by 1.6 points to -4.9, the European Commission said.

THE HAGUE: Dutch food and cosmetics giant Unilever said today that while it had managed to increase sales, consumer demand is weak both in emerging and industrialised markets. It put an 11 per cent drop in net profit to 2.66 billion euros (USD 2.9 billion) and a 13 per cent fall in operating profit to 3.8 billion in the first half of this year due to results last year being inflated thanks to sales of several brands. The company that makes Knorr soup, Ben & Jerry's ice cream and Lipton tea, as well as Omo laundry detergent and Dove soap said core operating profit rose by 16 per cent.

In an interview with ET Now, Mahantesh Sabarad- Deputy Vice President Research- Institution Equity, shares his views on the NBFC sector and the FDA woes dogging pharma companies. Excerpts: ET Now: We are just taking off cues from the management of Dewan Housing and it is in line with what almost all the other housing finance companies have done. That is one bunch that probably underperformed in quarter four but has come back with a bang. Gruh, CanFin, LIC , now Dewan Housing.

NEW DELHI: The GST rate of 20 per cent, as suggested by a Parliamentary Committee, would benefit the industry and will also not be a burden on consumers, experts say. The Rajya Sabha Select Committee has suggested that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate should not go beyond 20 per cent as higher rates could fuel inflation and erode the confidence of consumers in a new indirect tax regime proposed to be rolled out on April 1, 2016. Internationally, the GST rate ranges from 16-20 per cent.

MUMBAI: Canon India has promoted Andrew Koh to the post of vice president for its Consumer Imaging and Information Centre (CII), effective July 2015. Koh operates out of Canon India's headquarters located in Gurgaon. In his new role, he will be spearheading the consumer imaging and information centre (CII) as vice president which includes both consumer systems products (CSP) for laser and inkjet printers and image communication products centre (ICP) for camera products. In his past role as senior director of ICP, Canon India has witnessed a huge growth in the sales of DSLR cameras & lenses, high functionality compact cameras and professional video cameras.

MUMBAI: The Raymond Group is reworking its consumer products strategy to enter newer categories, and has roped in a celebrity endorser to bump up sales of its deodorants. The textile major's FMCG company, JK Helene Curtis (JKHC), has signed up actor-director Farhan Akhtar to push sales of its Park Avenue brand of deodorants in the Rs 3,500-crore segment that has close to 1,000 brands. "Farhan Akhtar will appeal to younger consumers who are now getting fatigued with similar type of communication," said JKHC business director Ashok Namboodiri.

DETROIT: Ford Motor Co on Tuesday will launch a new luxury version of its F-150 pickup truck that could command prices above $60,000, answering growing demand from US consumers for trucks that could substitute for a higher end German sedan. The 2016 Ford F-150 Limited will go on sale later this year, and will be a step up from the automaker's current top-of-the-line pickup, the F-150 Platinum. Low gasoline prices along with better fuel economy have boosted demand for feature-laden duty trucks and large SUVs which are helping the bottom lines for the three Detroit automakers.